Consider These Options in Carpeting

There is almost no home whose appearance cannot be improved
by laying down some new carpeting. Think about a room
that you consider to be luxurious or cozy. In either
case, you'll likely think of a room with comfortable carpeting.
And the good news is that carpeting a room is a good financial
move too, because not only can it be quite affordable, but
when you sell the house, it can greatly increase the amount
you'll get. But first, you have to get the carpet and you have to get a good deal.

Before
you even consider carpeting the house, though, think about
health issues. Is there anyone in your family who
has respiratory issues like asthma? If so, almost
any carpeting could be a problem, since they often hold
dust mites and mold that could be hard on these physical
conditions. Even if you vacuum the floor frequently,
you probably won't get all of the culprits. For families
with these kinds of health issues, hardwood floors or even
vinyl would work better. But if respiratory problems
are not an issue, then you're ready to go carpet shopping.

As
you're looking at carpeting, remember that there are vapors
that emanate from many carpets; this is called "out-gassing."
The vapors can be toxic (which is ironic since so many people
claim to "love that new carpet smell").
In the modest levels that most carpets have, it's not a
problem breathing these vapors. But it's hard to know
for sure. There's a chance that there might be somebody
in your family who is more susceptible to these gases than
other people or that some carpeting will have more
of the 'gassing' than others.

To
add to this problem, there are a few carpet glues / adhesives
which also give out gases. It's recommended, therefore,
that if you're shopping for carpeting or carpet glue, that
you do a short test. Ask the store to cut just a small
piece of the carpet from the roll that you're considering
buying. Take it back to your house and put it in a
jar and seal it. Now put the jar by a window that
has a good amount of sunlight coming in, and let it set
there for a couple of days. If the odor is strong
when you open the jar, this is an indication that the amount
of toxic gases coming from the carpeting is high enough
to possibly make someone ill. So what do you do in
this case? You ask the store if they have some place
where they can let the carpet ventilate outside for a couple
of days before you pick it up. If not, then you need
to find a storage place to let it air out before you install
it.

Another
consideration when you're shopping for carpeting: You need
to decide which material is best for you. Some carpet
is made from wool. It's a popular choice because of how
well it keeps its original shape. On the other hand, wool
frays easily and is prone to mildew. Nylon is another
good option, because it's durable and easy to clean; it
also resists mildew better than wool. However, it tends
to be more expensive. There is also polyester carpet, which
has a reputation for being durable and resisting mildew
and other stains. The down side: the carpet tends
to pile.

So
the choices are generally: How much can you afford, what
do you need for health purposes, and is durability more
important to you than being stain resistant? Whatever your
choice, you'll find carpeting to meet your needs.